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A.J. Brown trade: Fantasy football impact of Patriots-Eagles blockbuster
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A.J. Brown trade: Fantasy football impact of Patriots-Eagles blockbuster appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The NFL world was set on fire with blockbuster trades hitting the timeline left and right on June 1. For starters, Myles Garrett was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in a shocking move. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is fresh off breaking the single-season sack record. After that, A.J. Brown was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots in a deal that shook up the football world, and in particular, will have massive ramifications on fantasy football.
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Brown is one if the best receivers in football, and he is going from a team that is just over a year removed from a Super Bowl title to a team that was one win shy of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this year. So, what does the Brown trade mean for fantasy football owners?
Fantasy implications of the A.J. Brown trade
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Last season, Brown ranked 14th in standard fantasy points (9.5 per game) and 11th in PPR formats (14.7 per game) as the top option for the Eagles. He is a physical receiver who can rack up yards after the catch. Brown surpassed the 1,000-yard threshold in all four seasons he spent with the Eagles, and he had seven touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.
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However, Brown also split targets with DeVonta Smith , a receiver sight of frame but one with reliable hands and elite route running. With those two no longer competing for targets, both pass catchers could see an uptick in production. Brown joins a contending Patriots team, but one that was desperate for a receiver. Stefon Diggs led the team with 85 catches for 1,013 yards last season, but the team released him after just one year.
Drake Maye finished second in MVP voting despite having an underwhelming receiving corps last year, and Brown will surely benefit from having such an elite quarterback throwing him the football. While a proven winner, Jalen Hurts was never one to rack up big numbers. Maye, meanwhile, looks to be one of the top gunslingers in the league for years to come. Maye is talented enough to spread the wealth to players like Kayshon Boutte , Mack Hollins , Hunter Henry , and the recently signed Romeo Doubs , but when things get desperate, Brown will be the one he favors. Even Doubs, who was the team's big-ticket free agent get, has never touched 60 receptions or 750 yards.
Browns ' departure from the Eagles means Philadelphia's offense will look a whole lot different, too. The team already leans on the rushing attack, spearheaded by former 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley and Hurts, the master of the tush push. They may favor the running game even more without Brown.
The team does have a solid receiving corps, even still, though. Smith's numbers were nearly identical to Brown's last season. The Alabama product had 77 catches for 1,008 yards compared to Brown's 78 receptions and 1,003 yards. Like the Patriots, they added an ex-Green Bay Packer receiver in their own right, as Dontayvion Wicks will also contribute to the passing game. Dallas Goedert has proven to be a reliable tight end, Hollywood Brown brings speed to the offense, and Makai Lemon was drafted in the first round.
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The rookie receiver was one of the steals of the draft and could make a huge impact right away. However, with Smith, Wicks, Lemon, and Hollywood Brown on the roster, and A.J. Brown no longer with the team, Philadelphia's receiving corps lacks physicality and size. That is far from ideal with someone like Hurts, who lacks elite arm traits, under center.
The Eagles' offense as a whole will likely regress, but Smith should see an uptick in fantasy production, and Lemon will be a worthwhile late-round gamble in fantasy drafts. Fantasypros.com has Brown as WR11, Smith as WR19, and Lemon as WR37. There is a path to where all of these players benefit from a fantasy perspective. Brown, in particular, could be in for a career year. There are reasons to be concerned about Philadelphia's passing attack, though.
Related: NFL rumors: The first time Rams tried to trade for Myles Garrett, 1 of Sean McVay's favorites
